Jeffrey Pollack

Jeffrey Pollack
Born	c. 1965
Occupation(s)	Sports executive, business advisor
Known for	Leadership roles with NBA, NASCAR, World Series of Poker, Professional Bull Riders, Los Angeles Chargers, XFL
Notable work	Founder of The Sports Business Daily; Commissioner of World Series of Poker; President & COO of XFL

Jeffrey Pollack (born around 1965) is a prominent American sports executive and business advisor. Following a short stint in politics, he shifted his focus to the sports industry, taking on leadership roles with organizations including the NBA, NASCAR, World Series of Poker, Professional Bull Riders, Los Angeles Chargers, and the XFL.

Pollack has been honored in the "40 Under 40" list by Sports Business Journal and has twice appeared in The Sporting News 100. He is a two-time recipient of Emmy Awards. Pollack divides his time between Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Notably, his half-brother is Gary Bettman, the Commissioner of the National Hockey League.

In 2011, Pollack established Federated Sports+Gaming (FS+G) and introduced the Epic Poker League. Early in 2015, he took on the role of special adviser for the former San Diego Chargers. On January 22, 2019, he was named President & COO of the XFL.

Education and early career

Pollack holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from Northwestern University along with two master's degrees: one from The Graduate School of Political Management and another in sports management from University of Massachusetts Amherst. Additionally, he completed Harvard University's six-week Advanced Management Program.

His professional journey began in politics, working first with the American Jewish Congress and later at Winner & Associates, a political public relations firm. During this time, he also served as a consultant for Major League Baseball amid labor disputes in the early 1990s. By 1992, he recognized an opportunity within the sports business sector.

At age 29, in February 1994, Pollack launched The Sports Business Daily, marking the first daily trade publication focused exclusively on the sports industry. Inspired by the political daily The Hotline, it delivered aggregated business news related to sports. Collaborating with Doug Bailey, founder of The Hotline, Pollack assembled a small editorial and sales team. Editors Stephen Bilafer and Chuck Todd transitioned from The Hotline to join the new venture. The publication rapidly earned credibility among industry executives. By its sale in 1996, it had become a trusted resource for leaders across sports, entertainment, finance, and media sectors worldwide. It also provided content for ESPN's SportsZone segment "Industry Insider" during that period.

Pollack's involvement with the NBA began as a communications consultant during collective bargaining talks. He advised NBA commissioner David Stern on strategies to relaunch the league after the 1998–99 lockout and was later appointed Vice President of Marketing & Corporate Communications, a position he held until 2000.

Following a brief engagement with a sports-focused website, Pollack assumed the role of Managing Director of Broadcasting and New Media at NASCAR Digital Entertainment. He was instrumental in consolidating NASCAR’s media rights and forging television partnerships with networks such as Fox, FX, NBC, and TNT. Under his guidance, NASCAR became the second most-watched cable sports property after football. Pollack also spearheaded innovative media projects like NASCAR iN Car, providing viewers with an immersive in-car camera experience. His contributions earned him two Emmy Awards—one Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Achievement in Interactive Television Programming and one Sports Emmy for Outstanding Innovative Technical Achievement—as well as the Billboard Digital Entertainment Award recognizing best interactive television programming.

World Series of Poker

In 2005, Pollack joined Harrah's Casino as Vice President of Marketing, where he managed sports-related ventures including boxing and motorsports. His primary goal was to elevate the World Series of Poker (WSOP) by reinforcing its status as the premier poker brand through strategic media collaborations, partnerships, and improved customer engagement. Under his leadership, WSOP experienced growth in media exposure, player involvement, tournament design, and global reach.

Pollack's early attention was on the 2005 Tournament of Champions (ToC), a $2.5 million freeroll event sponsored by Pepsi. Pepsi mandated participation from its representatives Doyle Brunson, Johnny Chan, and Phil Hellmuth, resulting in last-minute corporate exemptions that sparked discontent among other players.

WSOP Changes

On January 13, 2006, Pollack advanced to the role of WSOP Commissioner. In response to feedback from the ToC controversy, he created a monthly advisory council comprising professional players to provide guidance on event timing, formats, and regulations—a consultative process that has continued since 2006.

Focusing on player satisfaction rather than sheer participant volume, Pollack revised the 2007 prize distribution to allocate winnings more equitably. This adjustment increased payouts for early-round exits while slightly reducing final table rewards.

To address concerns about marked cards, WSOP collaborated with the United States Playing Card Company (USPC) to implement "Poker Peek" cards, which were replaced daily at each table. This measure resolved issues experienced in prior years when Copag cards became damaged and marked during play.

Beginning in March 2007, dealer training was intensified for over 300 dealers to enhance service quality and prevent incidents like the "extra chips" episode during the 2006 Main Event. Additionally, exclusive special chips were introduced for the Main Event to bolster security.

In 2008, Pollack redesigned the tournament calendar by inserting a four-month break after July when finalists were identified. This pause heightened anticipation and allowed finalists to serve as "poker ambassadors" before competition resumed in November. The final two days were compressed into a two-hour ESPN broadcast under the branding "The November Nine."

Pollack also led WSOP's global growth through WSOP Europe (WSOPE). The inaugural WSOPE was held in London across three casinos operated by London Clubs International. He ensured WSOPE preserved WSOP’s heritage while developing its distinct character. The event remained in England through 2010, relocated to France until 2013, and was planned for Berlin in 2015.

Marketing

Pollack is noted for his assertive marketing approach, applying proven strategies from leading sports leagues such as NASCAR, NBA, and NFL to expand WSOP’s reach. He remarked that "[s]ports marketing fundamentally is about the selling of hope," emphasizing that the World Series of Poker uniquely offers this hope because anyone can enter and strive for a spot at the final table.

During his tenure as WSOP Commissioner, Pollack secured media partnerships with ESPN, Sirius radio, Glu Mobile, Bluff Media, AOL, and Betfair alongside sponsorship deals with Miller Brewing Company, Planters, and Hershey's. In 2006, Card Player Media enhanced coverage by delivering hand-by-hand updates, player interviews, recaps, and real-time chip counts on its website.

Pollack placed great importance on preserving WSOP’s heritage and honoring its champions: "I want to bring our past, our history, and our DNA along for the ride."

Player Reception

Pollack received generally positive feedback from the poker community. Daniel Negreanu commended his grasp of poker’s distinctive nature—where participants risk their own funds rather than receiving salaries like professional athletes in the NBA. Pollack’s dedication to enhancing player satisfaction and his achievements in growing the World Series of Poker garnered widespread approval.

When Pollack stepped down, he was honored with considerable respect; analysts acknowledged his influential leadership period, and notable players including Phil Hellmuth, Peter Eastgate, and Barry Greenstein publicly praised his direction.

Departure

On November 13, 2009, Pollack announced his resignation as Commissioner through Twitter. He remarked, "I believe I have fulfilled all my objectives set in 2005. The World Series of Poker has expanded tremendously. The brand is stronger than ever, and the player experience has improved significantly."

Epic Poker League

In January 2011, Pollack partnered with Annie Duke to establish Federated Sports+Gaming (FS+G), the holding entity for the Epic Poker League (EPL), appointing Duke as commissioner. The EPL sought to highlight elite poker players and elevate their status to that of icons by admitting 200 competitors ranked via a system combining statistical analysis and historical performance. Pollack stressed the league’s mission to treat poker professionals like stars and deliver premium tournament events at the Palms Casino Resort.

The EPL’s inaugural season included four $20,000 Main Events without rake and a $1 million Championship Event. It secured a total of 20 hours of television airtime, featuring seven hours on CBS and 13 hours on Discovery Communications’ Velocity channel.

Although operational throughout 2011, the league encountered financial setbacks that culminated in bankruptcy early the following year.

Role with the Chargers

In early 2015, Pollack was appointed as a special adviser to San Diego Chargers Chair and President Dean Spanos. His responsibilities involved consulting on revenue enhancement strategies and stadium planning. He supported Special Counsel Mark D. Fabiani in engaging MANICA Architecture to design a proposed stadium in Carson, California. After the NFL rejected the Carson project, the Chargers eventually relocated to SoFi Stadium alongside the Los Angeles Rams in 2020.

XFL Involvement

On January 22, 2019, Pollack took on the role of President & COO of the XFL. The league ceased operations after five games due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Pollack noted that they were progressing toward becoming the most successful new sports league launch in decades and expressed optimism about a potential future restart.

On April 10, 2020, Pollack announced a suspension of league activities along with staff layoffs. Three days later, the XFL filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, intending to sell its assets including branding and intellectual property rights.

The league was acquired on August 2, 2020, by Dwayne Johnson, Dany Garcia, and RedBird Capital Partners for $15 million; this transaction received court approval shortly thereafter.

On March 10, 2021, Pollack joined owner Dany Garcia and CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie in announcing discussions between XFL and CFL aimed at expanding opportunities for players and fans across North America.

Pollack exited his position at the XFL on October 14, 2021; no further information about his departure was disclosed.